No Need for a Worthless Human
by ice princess07
Summary: 8 years after Sesshoumaru brings Rin back to life with Tenseiga, Rin thinks Sesshoumaru doesn't need her. Akuhei thinnks otherwise, and he has very specific plans for Rin...rinsessh. rating may change. dunno yet.
1. I Visions and Dreams

okay. my very first sessh/rin fanfic. i've wanted to write a story like this for 5 years, but i could never get a good idea. i had a dream sorta like this, and now i have this. well, i'm sure its probably not any good, but please read it anyway. oh, and in case you were wondering, i dont own inuyasha or any of the characters or anything (except the ones i came up with of course! hehe. .) ok ok. here it is!

**Chapter 1: Visions and Dreams**

'_I still remember…that day…the first time that I saw you. There was something about you…something that…drew me to you. I knew…immediately…what you were. Knew…by the strange markings on your face…by the way your eyes glowed bright red. I was…afraid. So very afraid. And yet…something inside me told me…not to run away. So…I didn't. Even…when you growled at me, and…I wanted to run away so badly. Even then…I didn't. I thought…you needed me. That…at last…someone needed me. But I was foolish. So foolish. As if you, a great demon lord, could ever need me, a lowly human. I realize that now, eight years later. For you said so yourself—You do not need me._'

In a dark room, lit only by the light coming in from the doorway, a tall man sat in a chair made of bone and cushioned with a strange dark blue cloth in front of a large glowing mirror. He was tall and elegant, his dress and pose suggesting nobility, his long blue-black hair tied in a low ponytail, his deep blue eyes gleaming with amusement at the young woman shown in the mirror. "Ah, but my dear Rin," he said, stroking the figure of the girl with his long clawed finger, "I think you are wrong."

A woman with long, silvery pink hair and pink eyes entered the room. She wore a short kimono the same color of her hair that only came half-way down her thighs, with the upper torso tied open wide enough so that much of her breasts were exposed. She leaned against the doorway in a seductive manner. "Reading people's minds isn't nice, Akuhei-sama," she teased.

Akuhei turned from the mirror to face her. "Takako, come here," he ordered.

Takako knelt on the floor before him and bowed. "Yes, my lord?" she asked.

Akuhei turned back to the mirror. "I must admit," he said, "that the mirror you got from that seer has been quite useful." He glanced at the head of a pale-skinned, white-haired young girl hanging on the wall, her black eyes lifeless and staring. "Much more useful than the mirror of that Kanna girl." He smirked and looked back at the mirror. "With this mirror, not only can I see whomever I wish, but I can listen to their thoughts."

Takako stood up and came up behind him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, sliding her hands down his shirt. "I wish only to please you, my lord," she whispered in his ear.

Akuhei picked up a goblet filled with yellowish liquid off of a table in front of the chair and took a sip of it, his eyes on the girl in the mirror. "Yes, I believe we will be able to make much use of this girl," he said to himself. "Takako," he said, pulling her off of him and sitting in the chair. "I have a job for you." Takako watched as Akuhei took another sip from the goblet, and waited for him to continue. Akuhei watched Rin over the rim of the goblet for a moment, then set the goblet on the table and turned to Takako. "Tonight we are going to pay a visit to certain human girl," he said, smiling slyly.

Rin stared at the leaf strewn forest floor, so deep in thought that she did not realize that she had stopped walking. Sesshoumaru stopped a few feet in front of her. "Rin. What is wrong?" he asked without turning around.

Rin snapped out of her thoughts with a gasp. "Uh! Rin is sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she exclaimed, bowing hurriedly. "Nothing is wrong, Rin is fine! She just got lost in her thoughts!" Rin quickly plastered a fake smile on her face.

Sesshoumaru looked at her doubtfully out of the corner of his eye. "Fine then," he said at last, walking on. "Hurry up."

"Yes," Rin replied, quickening her pace to catch up with him.

"That's right, Rin! Don't be so spaced out all the time! You're such an inconvenience to Sesshoumaru-sama!" scolded Jaken, the toad demon who always traveled with Sesshoumaru. Rin didn't reply, and she looked away to hide the sorrow that crossed her face. When Rin didn't say anything, Jaken continued, "You could at least try to—"

"Enough, Jaken," Sesshoumaru said sharply, cutting off the little imp.

"Yes, m'lord," Jaken said, bowing humbly.

Rin let out a sigh. '_I lied, Sesshoumaru-sama,_' she thought to herself. '_Everything is not okay._'

_a few days earlier_

"Rin! Must I tell you again! You are not to go in there!" Jaken cried.

"Don't worry, Jaken-sama!" Rin reassured him, smiling at the little green imp who was dancing franticly around her. "It'll be fine! If Sesshoumaru-sama didn't want Rin to join the dinner with his guests, why would he have given her such a fine new kimono?" she pointed out, indicating to the light blue silk kimono embroidered with tiny yellow flowers and delicate green leaves she was wearing. Feeling her point proven, Rin continued on her way.

"Rin! Sesshoumaru-sama always gives you new kimonos!" Jaken called after her. Rin ignored him, giggling at his futile attempts to stop her, and ran off before he could catch up with her again.

As she reached the great doors that led into the dining hall, Rin stopped for a moment to make sure she looked presentable, after all she didn't want to embarrass Sesshoumaru. When she was sure her kimono was straight and her hair was as tamed as possible, she approached the doors, but stopped outside of them. One of the doors had been left open a crack, and she could barely see and hear those inside. Peeking in, Rin saw that instead of a large number of guests as she had expected, she saw that there was only one old demon. Sesshoumaru and the old demon were discussing someone, and after listening for a moment, Rin realized it must be her.

"You cannot keep that girl around here any longer!" the old demon was saying.

"She does no harm," Sesshoumaru said calmly, focusing more on his rice than the demon he was speaking with.

"She is doing plenty of harm!" the demon exclaimed. "I refuse to have a human staying under this roof!"

"Need I remind you," Sesshoumaru replied, his voice rising ever so slightly, "that _I _am the lord of this castle, and _I _am the one who decides who will stay here."

"Fine! But what of this girl! Why do you insist on keeping her?" the demon demanded.

"She has nowhere else to go, and she needs a place to stay." Sesshoumaru explained.

"I am beginning to think that it is _you _who needs _her_." the old demon said.

"I assure you, that I have no need for a worthless human," Sesshoumaru said, looking at him sharply, "and you may find that I have no need for you as well, Toshikasa, _if _this continues."

"I apologize, my lord," the demon said meekly, and began eating.

Rin, however, did not hear this last part, for she had already run off, tears pouring down her face. "Now do you see, Rin?" Jaken began, until he noticed that she was sobbing. "Rin, what's wrong?" he asked, but Rin had already run into her room and shut the door.

_the present_

Sesshoumaru glanced at the sky, which was turning an orangeish-pink from the setting sun. "We will stay here for the night," he said, stopping. "There is a river nearby," he told Rin. "You may go wash up."

"Yes, my lord," Rin said, bowing and heading in the direction Sesshoumaru had pointed in while Jaken went to find food.

Sesshoumaru watched as Rin walked slowly towards the river, her feet dragging, her face void of its usual cheerfulness. For the past several days, Rin had not been herself. Rin had always been happy and carefree, constantly laughing and running around gathering flowers, but lately all her joy had left her. Now she would sit quietly by herself, staring at the ground, and Sesshoumaru would often hear her sobbing softly to herself. Something had obviously happened to make her so sad, though Sesshoumaru had no idea what it could be. He would never admit it, but it made Sesshoumaru's heart ache terribly to see Rin so unhappy.

After a while, Jaken returned trying his best to hold on to two slippery, and still very much alive, fish he had caught. Rin returned soon after, her waist-length black hair still damp from washing. She solemnly set to work helping Jaken build a fire and cook the fish.

Rin took her fish half-heartedly and sat down by the fire. She nibbled at the fish, salmon, which was normally her favorite, but this time it just didn't seem as appetizing. She forgot about the fish, and soon found herself gazing into the fire. The flames popped and crackled warmly, but to Rin they seemed to be laughing at her, mocking the useless human wretch. 'You're such an inconvenience!' 'I have no need for a worthless human.' The words of Jaken and Sesshoumaru swarmed around in Rin's mind. She squeezed here eyes shut tight, trying to block out their voices, but they continued all the louder, the mocking laughter of the fire with them.

"Rin, you should eat," Sesshoumaru's voice broke through the terror.

Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru, who was standing on the side of the fire. His face was hidden in the shadows cast by the fire, but she could feel his eyes on her, watching her. She looked away. "Rin isn't hungry, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said softly. She shifted uncomfortably under Sesshoumaru's gaze. "Rin is tired," she said, lying down and wrapping herself in her blanket. After a moment, Sesshoumaru walked away, and Rin buried her head under the blanket and went to sleep.

"Rin…" a voice whispered her name. "Rin…wake up."

Rin sat up groggily and opened her eyes. Her eyes went wide and she looked around in shock. A bright light shone everywhere, but it was as though she were looking through a thick fog, making it hard to see. She could barely make out a streak of pale blue sky, and, looking down, bright green grass. She ran her hand over the grass, and it was perfectly soft and springy.

"Rin," the voice came again from behind her.

Rin turned around. Behind her stood the figure of a man. He seemed to eminate his own light, making him even brighter than his surroundings, and hiding his features. Rin put her hand up to shield her eyes. "Who are you?" she asked.

"A friend," the man answered simply. He walked to the side a little and looked up at the sky. He turned to face her again. "I have been watching you for a while," he said, "and I have noticed that you seem very sorrowful lately."

"Oh," Rin said, looking down. "Yes, I suppose."

"Will you tell me," the man asked, "what it is that has made you so sad?" Rin looked at him and opened her mouth as if to speak, then hesitated and shut it again. "It's all right, Rin. You can trust me," the man reassured her. Rin looked at him once more, then, nodding, told him of everything since she had first met Sesshoumaru.

"I see," the man said. He looked at her sympathetically, then knelt down and, running his fingers through her hair, whispered, "Perhaps it is time you left this Sesshoumaru of yours and returned to your own kind."

Rin looked at him, horrified. "What?" she gasped. "N-no!"

"I know it is hard, Rin," the man continued gently, "but it is what's best. If you stay with him, he will only hurt you more." He looked at Rin intently. "You know I am right." Rin looked up at him, then, slowly, she nodded, tears streaming down her face. The man stood up. "I must go now, but please, think about what I said."

Sesshoumaru stood away from the fire, watching the moon. The wind blew, bringing on it the scent of salt. Sesshoumaru looked with concern at Rin, and walked over to her. She was still sound asleep, her head cradled on her arm, her dark hair framing her lovely face, but a spot on her blanket was damp, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Kneeling down, he wiped away the tear, gently, so as not to wake her. '_What are you thinking, Sesshoumaru?_' he scolded himself jerking his hand away. '_I am starting to become just like my foolish brother and father._'

the end of ch. 1! please tell me what you thought!


	2. II Farewell and The Assault

_yay! finally chapter 2! i know, you probably thought i would never update. i kinda thought that myself. but, looks like we were wrong! well, thanks for all the reviews you wonderful people! i was a little worried nobody would like my story, but i guess i was wrong. i hope you all like ch. 2 just as well! ok, now replies to all the loverly reviews...or at least the ones that seemed non-rhetorical (if i spelled that right, i will be shocked!)._

_rinsess4Ever: well, while i would love to answer your question, i'm afraid i cant do that! you will just have to wait and see.  
deathsangel666: sry, but..if i didnt, there just wouldnt be any plot.  
icygirl2: akuhei is...(are you ready?) a character in my story! yay! ok, ok. you knew that. well...you'll find out eventually. .-_

_and now, at long last, here is chapter 2! (oh, i dont own inuyasha. almost forgot!)_

Chapter 2: Farewell and The Assault

Rin awoke to the sound of birds chirping and a light breeze blowing playfully around her. For a moment, she almost felt like getting up and dancing, but then she remembered the dream from last night, and her heart wrenched with pain at what she knew she was about to do. She sat up and looked around, but did not see Jaken or Sesshoumaru. Deciding they must have gone to the river, she got up and walked through the trees in that direction. Sure enough, as she reached the river's edge, Rin caught sight of a familiar white-haired figure.

Sesshoumaru did not acknowledge Rin when she approached him, but she knew he was aware of her presence. He stood there by the riverside, gazing off into the distance at something too far away for Rin's human eyes to see. "Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin said, her voice barely more than a whisper. Sesshoumaru turned his head towards her. Rin took a shaky breath, then continued, "Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin has been thinking." She paused, and Sesshoumaru waited patiently for her to continue. "Rin thinks…that it would be for the best if Rin returned to her own kind."

Sesshoumaru felt his heart skip a beat as Rin said those words, but he quickly recomposed himself. "Are you sure?" he asked her. Rin nodded, staring at her feet. Sesshoumaru turned back towards the camp. "If that is what you want, then it will be done," he said, and walked away.

Rin watched as Sesshoumaru left, pained by his nonchalant attitude. Of course, she should have expected it, but for half a second, she had almost imagined that he looked sad at the thought of her leaving. It was only wishful thinking though, she was sure. Why would Sesshoumaru be upset by something that was probably more of a relief than any thing for him. She sighed, and stared off into the distance beyond the river, as Sesshoumaru had done only a moment ago. The wind blew gently, blowing her hair around her face, as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Not long after Sesshoumaru returned to the camp, Jaken came waddling up after him. "My lord!" he called, coming up to Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru spoke before Jaken could say anything else. "Jaken! Go get Rin! We're leaving!" he said harshly. Jaken looked shocked at this sudden expression of emotion from his master, but bowed, and quickly ran to find Rin.

Sesshoumaru growled with frustration at himself. He wasn't even sure what he was so angry about. Could it be that the girl's proposal was actually affecting him? He quickly erased the thought from his mind. It was impossible that he, the great Sesshoumaru, would sink so low as to actually have feelings for a human. Sesshoumaru crossed his arms, and watched the girl who was approaching him. It was impossible, he assured himself. Nevertheless, even as he thought this, Sesshoumaru felt a strange tugging on his heart.

Akuhei watched the scene in the mirror delightedly. "Things are working out just as we planned," he said to Takako.

"Yes, my lord," Takako agreed.

Akuhei glanced at Takako. "Now," he said, "we need only watch and wait, and when the time is right, we will begin the second part of the plan." He watched for Takako's reaction. She smiled. Akuhei took her arm and pulled her into his lap. She leaned against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I hope you have prepared yourself," he said, bending his head down and kissing her breast.

"Yes, my lord," she replied.

"Good," Akuhei said. Takako lifted her head up and kissed him on the mouth passionately, though it was a one-sided kiss.

Rin watched silently as Sesshoumaru talked to a small group of human soldiers. Sesshoumaru was too far away for her to hear him, and his back was turned to her, but she could see that several of the men looked nervous, even terrified. At one point, they all nodded vigorously, and Sesshoumaru returned to the place where he had left Rin and Jaken.

"Rin. Come," he ordered. She nodded, and, standing up, followed him to the men. "These men will take you back to their village, where you will be well cared for," he told her. Rin nodded, unable to think of anything to say. She watched with sorrow filled eyes as the man who had stayed with her and protected her for almost half her life walked away, knowing that this time he would not return.

Rin watched, until Sesshoumaru's figure disappeared over a hill in the distance. "Farewell, Sesshoumaru-sama," she whispered.

Sesshoumaru paused, and turned his head in the direction of Rin's voice. "Farewell, Rin," he replied, knowing she could not hear him, then continued on his way.

Katsu watched the girl called Rin push her food away, and stare at the night sky. "Do you think she's an idiot?" Hachiro whispered loudly beside him.

Katsu shot him a glare. "Shut your mouth, Hachiro," he ordered.

"Hey, I was just trying to say that if I were in her position I would be jumping for joy, not staring off into the distance like I've been abandoned or something," Hachiro defended himself. He thought for a moment. "Maybe she's so traumatized by the experience that she's lost all her reason!" he exclaimed, with a look as if he had just come up with something brilliant.

Katsu rolled his eyes, then looked back at the girl. "No…" he said, after a moment, "I don't think that's the case at all."

Rin pulled her knees up to her chin, and tried to ignore the laughter of the men near her. She couldn't help but feel that they were laughing at her, and she already hated them for it. Still, there was that one, the leader, named Katsu. He kept looking at her as though he understood what she was feeling. She shook her head. How could he understand the pain that was ripping her heart apart right this second? He probably just thought she was traumatized from her experience with the terrible demon, like the rest of them thought. That wasn't the case at all, though. Sesshoumaru wasn't even a terrible demon, at least, not to her. Besides, Rin had always been strong. She squeezed her eyes shut tight. '_I don't feel very strong right now,_' she thought. A cold wind blew, and Rin shivered, for the first time realizing how cold she was.

"You'll be warmer if you sit by the fire," a male voice said behind her. Rin jumped, and turned around to see Katsu. She breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry I startled you," Katsu apologized.

"It's fine," Rin replied.

"So…do you want to come over by the fire with us?" he asked. Rin shook her head. "I thought you might say that," Katsu said. "I brought you this." He dropped a blanket in her lap. "It'll keep you a little warm, at least."

"Thank you," Rin said, clutching the blanket and pulling it over her.

Katsu nodded. "You're welcome if you change your mind," he said kindly. Rin nodded, and Katsu went back to the fire.

The next day, Katsu woke Rin up a little before dawn. "We're about to leave," he told her. "If we're lucky, we should reach the village by this evening." Rin nodded. Katsu looked at her sympathetically. "It must be hard for you," he said, "not having such a powerful ally around to protect you."

Rin looked up, shocked, then nodded. It wasn't exactly how she felt, but it was a lot closer than what she had thought.

Katsu bent down so that he could look her in the eye. "You don't have to worry," he assured her, "I'll protect you no matter what."

Rin blushed at these words but, for the first time in quite a while, she smiled a real smile. Maybe this Katsu wasn't so bad after all. She studied him, and for the first time noticed that the brown-haired, brown-eyed young man was actually somewhat handsome. He could never replace Sesshoumaru-sama…but, maybe she could be happy with him.

"Lord Katsu!" a man riding up on horseback called urgently.

Katsu turned to the man. "What is it?"

"Demons!" the man gasped, "They're headed this way!"

Katsu nodded, and turned to the men who were putting away the camp. "Men!" he yelled, "Gather up your weapons! Prepare to defend yourselves against a demon assault!" The men immediately followed orders. Katsu turned to Rin. He grabbed her arm and pulled her up. "Stay close to me," he ordered.

As Rin watched, the soldiers positioned themselves behind their leader. Rin looked at Katsu standing beside her, his face was serious. She looked in front of her and gasped. A horde of what seemed like a thousand demons was approaching them, and fast. She looked back at the soldiers; there were only about twenty of them. They didn't stand a chance!

Katsu drew his sword, looking as though he were all too well aware of what Rin had realized, but still he was determined. "Attack!" he yelled the order to his men, and they all charged forward to meet the demon's assault.

The battle commenced for what seemed like an eternity. Katsu, true to his word, put forth all his effort to protect Rin. Now, he was battling fiercely with a demon. He defeated it, but he was obviously worn out. Katsu looked around, and saw three demons heading towards him. With an exasperated sigh, he grabbed Rin and dragged her over to Hachiro, who was nearby. "Hachiro!" he called, "I want you to take her and get out of here as fast as you can! Do whatever it takes! Just make sure she stays alive!"

Hachiro killed the demon he was fighting, and turned to Katsu. "Are you out of your mind?" he demanded. "Haven't you noticed that all the demons are saying things like 'Give us the girl'?"

Rin looked from Hachiro to Katsu. "You mean…this is all because of me?" she said, her voice filled with horror.

"Don't listen to him, Rin," Katsu said reassuringly. He turned to Hachiro. "You! Keep your mouth shut! If you're suggesting that we sacrifice the girl, then you're out of your mind!" Katsu scolded Hachiro. "Did you already forget what that demon said? If anything happens to her, its our lives, anyway. Now do as your told!"

Rin's eyes went wide, and her stomach felt sick as though she might throw up. "Rin, listen to-" Katsu began, but Rin cut him off.

"Get off of me!" she screeched, tearing herself out of his arms. Katsu and Hachiro looked at her, shocked. Rin dashed away as far from them as possible, ignoring their calls for her to come back. She collapsed in the middle of the bloody battlefield, sobbing. '_Why, Sesshoumaru-sama?_' she thought bitterly. '_Why did you leave me with these horrible men?_' "I thought he really cared about me," she sobbed quietly to herself.

"It's awful, isn't it?" a man said quietly.

Rin looked up to see a tall man with long blue-black hair and blue eyes, dressed in noble clothing. "Who are you?" she asked.

"It's terrible, when you realize that no one can be trusted," he continued, "when those whom you thought cared about you turn their backs on you."

Rin gasped, as she recognized the voice. "Y-you're that man! The one from my dream!"

The man smiled down at her. "Yes," he replied. "My name is Akuhei." He knelt down beside her, and put an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble."

Rin shook her head. "No," she said, "the truth is you were right. If I had stayed with Sesshoumaru-sama any longer, I only would have been hurt more." She wiped her eyes, and looked in the direction she had last seen Katsu. "He even hurt me without being here." She hung her head down, her hair covering her face.

"Would you like to come with me?" Akuhei asked her.

Rin looked at him. "But-" she began.

"Aren't I the one who saved you from more pain?" Akuhei pointed out. Rin nodded. "It seems to me, I'm the only one you can really trust." He put his hand under Rin's chin and turned her face up to look at him. "So, what do you say?" He stood up and held his hand out to her.

Rin raised her hand towards his, then hesitated and pulled back a little. In the back of her mind, something told her she could not trust this man. She ignored it, and, placing her hand in Akuhei's, she said, "Yes, I will come with you."

_there you go! what do you think? please R&R!_


	3. III Pain

_yay! i finally got around to writing ch. 3! i couldnt think of a title for this chapter, so any suggestions?_

**Chapter 3:**

A strong wind blew, blowing Sesshoumaru's long silvery hair around him. Sesshoumaru stopped, and turned his head. "My lord, what is wrong?" Jaken asked, stopping as well.

Sesshoumaru did not reply, but turned around and headed back in the direction they had come from, Jaken hurrying along after him. He stopped at the edge of the battlefield, and Jaken gasped. "Oh my!" Jaken said, looking around at the field strewn with the bodies of demons and humans.

Sesshoumaru squinted at something in the distance and headed towards it. The man whom Sesshoumaru had talked to the day before, Katsu, was lying on the ground. He was severely wounded, but still conscious. "Where is Rin?" Sesshoumaru demanded, grabbing the man by the throat and holding him up.

"I-I don't know," Katsu gasped. "She ran off that way." He pointed. "I tried to stop her but-"

Sesshoumaru tossed the man aside and headed in the direction he had pointed. He knelt down and laid his hand on the ground where Rin had sat not ten minutes before. He sniffed the air around the ground, and a snarl escaped him. "My lord," gasped Jaken, who had just now caught up with Sesshoumaru. "My lord, Rin is not...dead?"

"No," Sesshoumaru said. He stood up. "Come, Jaken. There is someone we need to visit." Jaken followed after Sesshoumaru, wondering what he was talking about.

Rin looked around the series of cave-like chambers that Akuhei had led her into, and a shiver ran down her spine. "What is this place?" she asked. It was not that the cave was particularly unpleasant, on the contrary, it was very richly decorated and all of the rooms were comfortably furnished, but being there gave her a very bad feeling, kind of like the feeling she got from Akuhei. She shook it off, telling herself it was probably just the chill from not being outside under the sun's warmth.

"This is my home," Akuhei replied. "Do you not like it?"

Rin shook her head. "No, it's very nice."

Akuhei smiled. "Good." He led her into a large room, lit by two plain looking lamps. "This will be your room."

Rin stepped into the room and looked around. There were no decorations, and the room was completely bare except for a futon, the lamps and a small table in one corner of the room. "I left it empty so that you could decorate it how you wished," Akuhei explained.

Rin stifled a yawn and nodded. "Thank you," she said quietly. She looked longingly at the futon. There was a smell in the room, possibly from the lamps, and it was making her very drowsy, or maybe she was just exhausted from the events of the past two days.

Akuhei clapped his hands twice and a young woman entered the room. "This is Takako," Akuhei said. "She will get you anything you need while you are here." He studied Rin. "Would you like her to bring you some flowers to put in your room?"

Rin considered for a moment, but the thought of flowers reminded her with a twang of the many times she had picked flowers for Sesshoumaru. She shook her head.

"Very well," Akuhei said, smiling to himself at the look of pain that had crossed Rin's face at the mention of flowers. Just as he had hoped, she was beginning to turn away from the things she loved because they made her think of Sesshoumaru. He nodded at Takako, and she left the room. "You look very tired," he said gently to Rin. "Why don't you sit down?" He indicated to the futon.

Rin complied, and sat down on the futon gratefully. Her vision was beginning to get a little fuzzy. Akuhei knelt down in front of her. "You are still unhappy," he said. Rin shrugged. "You have finally gotten away from the one person who has caused you such pain. You should be relieved." Rin didn't look up, and she didn't reply, but Akuhei could tell by the look on her face that he had given her something to think about. "You've had a long day," he said. "I will let you get some sleep."

Akuhei stood and left the room, and Rin lay down on the futon. _'Sesshoumaru-sama. Why did you do this to Rin?'_ she thought before a restless sleep claimed her, and her mind was filled with terrible, twisted dreams about Sesshoumaru laughing at her cruelly as she called his name and ran after him, never able to catch him, until at last she fell on the ground sobbing.

Rin opened her eyes, and blinked at the dark ceiling above her, wondering for a moment where she was until she remembered what had happened. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She had slept the whole night through but now she felt even worse than she had before. Takako came into the room carrying a cup. "Lord Akuhei said you should drink this," Takako said, setting the cup down in front of Rin and leaving without saying anything else.

Rin picked up the cup and looked in it. It was filled with a strange yellow colored liquid which Rin had never seen before. She sniffed it, and took a hesitant sip. She dropped the cup with a clatter, and doubled over, gagging and coughing. She clutched her stomach in pain, and retched, before losing consciousness and collapsing on the futon.

Takako came into the room from where she had been watching from around the corner. She smiled at the sight of the girl laying on the futon, and picked up the cup, mopping up the spilled drink and the vomit with a towel. Carrying the cup, she left the room, and Akuhei came inside.

He knelt down beside Rin, and placed his hands on her head. At his touch, Rin jerked away, though she remained unconscious. He tried once more, and again she jerked away, with more force this time. Akuhei took away his hands with a frustrated sigh. Takako came in and stood at the doorway. "Did it work?" she asked cautiously.

Akuhei stood up with such suddenness that Takako jumped back. "She is resisting," he said. "This is going to take more than I had thought." He turned and looked at Rin, and then turned back to Takako. "What of Sesshoumaru's actions?"

Takako, who had been watching Rin with hatred, quickly recomposed herself at the sound of Akuhei's voice, but not before he had seen the look. "Right now he is headed towards your home. Once he discovers you aren't there, he will probably come straight here. That should give us plenty of time to do…whatever we need to do." Her eyes flitted back to Rin.

Akuhei grabbed Takako's chin and turned her face towards his with such force that she let out a cry of pain. Akuhei stepped close to her until he seemed to loom over her. "I know that you have feelings for me," he said slowly and quietly, "and you know that I do not return them." He stared into her eyes with a silent fierceness that made Takako cringe. "Do not lose control of your emotions." Takako bit her lip, and nodded. Akuhei let go of her chin. "Stay aware in case Sesshoumaru should come sooner than you expect," he said as he left the room.

Sesshoumaru could tell by the scent on the wind that the man he was looking for was not there before he had even reached the house. Several servants were wandering about outside the house, performing various tasks. When Sesshoumaru approached, they stopped what they were doing and stared at him. At another time, Sesshoumaru might been angered at their lack of respect for the lord of their lands, but right now he was too preoccupied with other things to give it much thought.

Jaken, on the other hand, was not. "What is wrong with you foolish, lowly demons?" he demanded. "Do you know whose presence—"

"Quiet," Sesshoumaru ordered, and Jaken shut his mouth. Sesshoumaru turned to a young kitsune girl who was carrying an armload of wet kimonos. "Where is your master?" he asked her.

"We don't now, sir," the girl said. "Akuhei-sama and his current mistress left a few days ago, but they told no one where they were going or when they would be back."

"I see," Sesshoumaru said, and he left.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Who is this Akuhei?" Jaken asked.

Sesshoumaru considered ignoring Jaken's question, but decided the toad demon would never shut up about it if he didn't tell him. "Akuhei is my cousin," he said. "His father was my mother's brother."

"_Was_, my lord?" Jaken asked.

Sesshoumaru glanced at Jaken. "His father was killed in a battle against my father for my father's lands. Akuhei has held a grudge ever since."

"Oh, I see," Jaken said. "And you believe he has kidnapped Rin?'

"Yes."

"That scoundrel!" Jaken exclaimed. "How dare he try to take something that belongs to you for his own petty purposes!"

Sesshoumaru whirled on Jaken so fast that the little imp almost keeled over. "Rin is _no one's _property," he hissed angrily.

Jaken cowered under Sesshoumaru's wrath. "Yes, of course, my lord! Please forgive me." Sesshoumaru turned away from Jaken, and walked away, and Jaken hesitantly followed after.

A rich smell wafted into the room, waking Rin up. Her stomach growled as she slowly sat up. "Oh, good. You're awake." Akuhei came into the room. "How are you feeling?"

Rin shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

"I am sorry about what happened earlier," Akuhei said. "I did not realize that the juice would make you so sick. Which reminds me—you must be very hungry. Why don't you come eat dinner?"

"Okay. What was that stuff?" Rin asked, standing up.

"It was Ruso Juice," Akuhei told her as they walked through the dim corridors of the cave. "It is supposed to erase unpleasant memories. I had hoped it would help you." He looked at Rin. "You are not upset, are you?"

Images from the dreams she had been having flashed across Rin's mind. "No," she said softly. "I think I would like to forget."

Akuhei nodded. "If you wish, we can try again later tonight." Rin nodded. "Okay," she agreed. Akuhei stopped in front of one of the chambers. "There is food for you in there. I have already eaten, but I will come for you later."

Rin nodded, and went into the chamber, leaving Akuhei in the corridor. "Akuhei-sama," Takako said, walking up to him from where she had been standing further on down the corridor and bowing. "Sesshoumaru is headed this way. At the rate he's going, he will probably be here by noon tomorrow."

"It doesn't matter," Akuhei said. "She seems quite willing to comply."

"What did you tell her?" Takako asked.

"I told her that it would make her forget Sesshoumaru." He smiled wickedly. "It's not entirely untrue. It will make her mind susceptible to suggestions, so I could make her forget if I wanted to."

"You don't want to, though," Takako said.

"Of course not," Akuhei said with a grin. "What would be the fun in that?"


End file.
